Perception of Distance
by Archaeosine
Summary: The digimon have gone their own ways after Apocalymon was defeated, and Gomamon feels that something is missing from his new life. Gomamon x Gabumon oneshot.


Just a fluffy yaoi fic that takes place after Adventure 01 ends. That's about it.

* * *

The defeat of Apocalymon had ushered in an era of tranquility for the Digital World. Peace never lasts forever, but for the time being everything was safe. The DigiDestined had returned to Earth, and their digimon partners had gone their own ways. It felt a bit odd for them to settle down after spending so much time fighting, but now that Apocalymon was no longer a threat, the digimon were free to live their own lives. 

Gabumon, being naturally accustomed to the cold, chose a boreal forest in a sub-arctic region of the DigiWorld to be his home. Gomamon was also well adapted to low temperatures, but that didn't mean he actually enjoyed the chilly weather. Unlike Gabumon, he preferred warmer climates, and one would expect him to live in a more temperate region. Thus, his choice to settle along a stretch of sub-arctic coastline seemed to be rather strange. Gomamon didn't choose his home for the climate, however; he chose it because of its proximity to Gabumon.

Throughout the entire expedition, Gomamon had felt a certain attachment to Gabumon. At first he couldn't comprehend why he had become so enamored with him, as the two digimon seemed to be quite different. Gabumon's modest, reserved nature was in sharp contrast to Gomamon's energetic, outgoing personality. Over time, though, the geniality of Gabumon grew on him. The fight against evil digimon had not been easy, and there were many low points when Gomamon and the rest of the group wondered if they were strong enough to prevail. Simply being in the presence of a kind, thoughtful digimon like Gabumon always helped to assuage Gomamon's worries.

The emotions of Gomamon refused to subside. No other digimon had ever evoked his affections in such a powerful way. The personal revelation that he was in love with another guy was awkward enough for Gomamon. It was even more uncomfortable for him to be unable to disclose his true feelings. Gomamon had no idea how the DigiDestined and the other digimon, especially Gabumon, would take the news. Not wanting to cause contention in a group that didn't always get along to begin with, his secret remained just that: a secret. Now that peace was restored, he finally felt he could reveal everything. That was precisely the reason why he had chosen to live near Gabumon. On several occasions, Gomamon had visited him on the premise of wanting to catch up on old times. Each time, he intending on telling Gabumon how he truly felt, and each time, he was never able to say anything beyond a bit of smalltalk. After making several visits in which he kept his true sentiments to himself, he had mustered up the courage to try once again.

Gomamon made his way towards the forest to find Gabumon. His heart beating rapidly, he paused and took a deep breath.

_Okay, this time I'm gonna tell him the truth. I'm finally doing it,_ thought Gomamon. He smiled at the thought of being with Gabumon, but a frown soon set across his face. _I said the exact same thing to myself last time, but I ended up chickening out. Maybe I should just turn back…_

Gomamon sighed and tried to embolden himself.

_Darn it, Gomamon, think positive! I'm never gonna accomplish anything with this mindset! Man, I'm getting to be more neurotic than Joe._

It was late summer, and the normally frigid forest was rather warm. Pine needles crunched under Gomamon's flipper-like feet as he walked to the small cave inhabited by Gabumon. The seal's heartbeat grew even faster as soon as he saw it off in the distance. When he reached the cave after what felt like an eternity, Gomamon looked inside only to find it empty.

_That's great. Just great. I finally work myself up to do this and he isn't even here! I might as well just…_

"Gomamon?"

With a startled yell, Gomamon turned around. He was greeted with the sight of Gabumon standing in front of him.

"I didn't expect to see you here," said a smiling Gabumon. "I apologize if I scared you."

_Okay, I can do this,_ thought Gomamon as he began to speak. "I wasn't scared, y'know. You just caught me off-guard! Anyway, I happened to be passing through this area when I remembered that you lived here. Being the oh-so-magnanimous guy I am, I figured that I should stop by and see if you needed help with anything."

"How considerate of you!" replied Gabumon. "I'm starting to stock up on food for the winter. I was just about to go foraging, and I would appreciate any assistance you can offer."

"Hey, what kind of digimon would I be if I didn't lend a hand - or in my case, a flipper - to an old friend? Let's go!"

As the two digimon began to walk, Gomamon started to talk again.

"Hey Gabumon, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"What is it, my friend?"

"I…uh…I…never mind. It's not that important."

_Smooth move, Romeo,_ though Gomamon, cursing his nerves. _If I don't do it soon, this is gonna end up like every other visit._

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows through the pine trees. As they walked, Gomamon wistfully stared at the figure of Gabumon. He tried to think of the best way to tell him, but he couldn't come up with anything he deemed acceptable. A feeling of anxiety seemed to gnaw away at Gomamon's gut whenever he envisioned himself divulging the truth. If it didn't go well, things between Gomamon and Gabumon could become awkward to the point where their friendship would essentially be over.

_I could say that I'm…nah, too sappy. What if I told him that…please, as if that would actually work. Isn't there some way I can do this_? 

Gomamon's contemplations were cut short when the two digimon reached a small lake.

"There's plenty of vegetation around here," explained Gabumon. "You can find many different edible plants with a quick search."

Gabumon went off to forage, but Gomamon just gazed across the lake. When Gabumon came back carrying a bunch of plants, he was surprised to find Gomamon still staring, lost in thought.

"You don't seem to be yourself, Gomamon. Is something troubling you?"

"As a matter of fact…yeah," replied Gomamon. "I've gotta tell you this now. Oh boy, this is gonna be hard to do…"

After letting out a long sigh, Gomamon continued talking.

"I've known you for a long time, Gabumon. Every since we first met, I've cared about you…a lot. I can't explain why I have these feelings, but I do. I've been waiting so long to tell you this…"

Gomamon locked eyes with Gabumon.

"I love you, Gabumon."

Gomamon turned away and closed his eyes, immediately regretting his actions. He waited for Gabumon to say something, but all he heard was a soft chuckle.

"What's so funny?" asked Gomamon sadly, his head still turned away.

"I'm just amazed at the way things can turn out. I had no idea that my feelings were shared."

Slowly, Gomamon turned his head back to Gabumon. "You mean…you feel the same way as me?"

"Yes," replied Gabumon with a smile on his face. "I, too, have cared about you for some time now. You weren't alone in having trouble revealing the truth…there were so many times when I wanted to tell you how I felt. I didn't know how you'd react, though, and I never said anything. I used to be afraid that we didn't have the same feelings…but I don't have to worry about that anymore."

Gomamon wiped the tears from his eyes and returned the smile. "I'm not crying, if that's what you think. It's just that my allergies are always bad this time of year!"

Laughing, the two digimon hugged and sat down next to each other under the shade of a pine tree. Gomamon rested his head in Gabumon's lap and no words were spoken as the two watched the crimson sunset together.

-The End-


End file.
